Well, after the kiwi roast....

Came the Hunger Games. Young Ruby shared the basic story with us over dinner in pre quake Christchurch, so a few years ago, when she was engrossed in how Katniss defeated Snow. And all the gory bits in between of course. I wasn't inspired, dinner and gore don't go too well with me, so when Gillian offered me the books I almost declined. I'm a voracious reader, powering through many books in a month and I was almost at the end of the only one I had left so I took them with a smile. 

Was that only a week and a half ago? It seems so, and since then I've read the book I'd almost finished, and another, and The Hunger Games trilogy. In fact, for the first time in a while, I've lost sleep over a book. I really didn't want the last book to finish and can understand why others have read them twice. An engrossing read, a scary read when you relate it to today's world. A read similar to one of my very favourite books, Winter of Fire the story of the quelled and the chosen. 

Sherryl Jordan must be one of the unsung heros of New Zealand literature. My kids loved to listen to the Denzil stories, family favourites, and my class of big kids really enjoyed Rocco and Winter of Fire. Ruby got to enjoy them too. So The Hunger Games are in their ilk, fantasy about a future world where things are not quite the same as they are now. Where people have to fight to claim and reclaim their heritage.

Well, not exactly a future world if one looks at the stories and compares them to some of the histories being written now. The quelled and the chosen; a nuclear winter; districts in a changed world with a capitol. There are are parallels. The Palestinians and the Israelis come to mind. That reminds me of a story that needs to be told, photos that need to be shared. I promised I wouldn't, enough time has passed that it should be okay. An entry for the weekend when I have some time to write. 

So for now, it's do I start a new book or continue to enjoy thinking about The Hunger Games? The later I suspect. My supply of books os so limited with my downsizing to shift that I may need ot go shopping tomorrow for a new title. George is right, I really do need to get over myself and buy a Kindle. Especially for traveling in places where books in English may not be that easy to find. Places I'm going very soon with a limited baggage allowance. 

Tomorrow is my last day at work for this contract, although there is a promise for an extension for July. It seems the work I'm doing is important and needs to be finished. As of Sunday I'll be an overstayer if the contract doesn't come to me by the end of the day tomorrow. I guess if it doesn't my holiday begins on Monday, looking forward to some down time. I will await what tomorrow brings, the promise of a meal out with friends and the odd loaded soda something to look forward to. 

The quelled or the chosen?